STUDIES ON THE INTERRELATIONSHIP AMONG THE INTENSITY OF A RAMAN MARKER BAND OF CAROTENOIDS, POLYENE CHAIN STRUCTURE, AND EFFICIENCY OF THE ENERGY TRANSFER FROM CAROTENOIDS TO BACTERIOCHLOROPHYLL IN PHOTOSYNTHETIC BACTERIA

Abstract Resonance Raman spectroscopy was used to study the polyene-chain structure of carotenoids in light-harvesting pigment-protein complexes from purple photosynthetic bacteria. When major carotenoids of Rhodobacter sphaeroides were incorporated into the light-harvesting complexes of Chromatium vinosum , they showed a relatively intense Raman band at 965 cm^-1 arising from the CH out-of-plane wagging modes of the polyene chain. This result was almost the same as that for the intrinsic carotenoids in Chromatium vinosum , but completely different from that for the intrinsic carotenoids in Rhodobacter sphaeroides . On the other hand, the intrinsic carotenoids of Chromatium vinosum lost the intensity of the 965 cm^-1 Raman band upon protein denaturation. These results support the view that the intensity of the 965 cm^-1 Raman band reflects distortion of the polyene chain, independent of its chemical structure. The polyene-chain distortion is affected by the apoprotein to which carotenoids are bound. The distortion of the polyene chain is correlated with a decrease in the efficiency of the energy transfer from carotenoids to bacteriochlorophyll.     

Association between Social Frailty and Sleep Quality among Community-dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-sectional Study

Objective: We examined the association between social frailty and subjective sleep quality among community-dwelling adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited Japanese adults over the age of 60 years from health check-ups held in a public townhall in a suburban area between 2018 and 2019. Social frailty was evaluated using five criteria (living alone, not visiting friends sometimes, going out less frequently than the last year, not feeling helpful to friends or family, and not talking to someone every day) and categorized into three groups: non-frailty, pre-frailty, and frailty. Sleep quality was assessed according to the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) by giving participants a self-reported questionnaire. We performed multivariable linear regression analysis, denoting social frailty as an independent variable, and the global PSQI score as a dependent variable. Results: Data from 300 older adults were analyzed, 51.0% of whom were female. The participants'' mean age was 73.0 years (standard deviation = 5.8). Multivariable analysis revealed the notable association between social frailty and a high global PSQI score (compared with non-frailty, frailty: β = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.08 to 1.80, p = 0.033). Of the five determiners of social frailty, not talking with someone every day was especially associated with a high global PSQI score (β = 1.57, 95% CI = 0.49 to 2.66, p = 0.005). Conclusion: The present study suggests that social frailty is associated with poor sleep quality among community-dwelling older adults. Our findings indicate the importance of social frailty on sleep quality among older adults.     

Recovery process of respiratory muscle strength in patients following stroke: A Pilot Study

Objective: To determine the recovery process of respiratory muscle strength during 3 months following stroke, and to investigate the association of change in respiratory muscle strength and physical functions. Additionally, we compared respiratory muscle strength with those of healthy subjects. Method: In this prospective, observational study, 19 stroke patients and 19 healthy subjects were enrolled. Maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximal expiratory pressure (MEP), motricity index, trunk control test, 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and functional independence measure were assessed at 1, 2, and 3 months from stroke onset in stroke patients. MIP and MEP were assessed at arbitrary times in healthy subjects. Repeated one-way analysis of variance with Bonferroni post-hoc test was used to compare the change in respiratory muscle strength in each period in stroke patients. Pearson''s correlation coefficient was computed for changes in respiratory muscle strength and physical functions. Student''s t-test was used to compare respiratory muscle strength between stroke patients at 3 months from onset and healthy subjects. Results: MIP was significantly increased at 3 months compared to 1 month. MEP was significantly increased in 2 months and 3 months, compared to 1 month. MIP changes associated with 6MWT changes. Compared to healthy subjects, MIP and MEP at 3 months were significantly lower in stroke patients. Conclusion: Respiratory muscle strength significantly increased during 3 months following stroke. However, the trend of recovery may be different. MIP changes may associated with walking endurance changes. During 3 months following stroke, respiratory muscle strength did not recover to healthy subjects.     

Sex-related Differences in Exercise Capacity Trends and Determinants after Cardiac Rehabilitation in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether longitudinal changes in exercise capacity in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) differ by sex and clarified what contributed to these differences. Methods: We retrospectively examined the differences in each variable between men and women in 156 patients with AMI (mean age: 65 ± 12 years; 82.0% male) who participated in a 3-month cardiac rehabilitation (CR) program and could be followed-up for exercise capacity 12-months after AMI onset. Sex-related differences in the change in peak oxygen uptake (peak VO₂) at baseline, 3-months, and 12-months after AMI were analyzed. Results: Male patients with AMI were younger and had higher body mass index and employment rate than women. The attendance of the CR program was higher in women (men vs. women; 10 [3–15] vs. 14 [11–24] sessions, p = 0.0002). Women showed a significant lower %change in peak VO₂ after 12 months (men vs. women; 7.8% [–0.49% to 14.6%] vs. 1.3% [–5.7% to 7.5%], p = 0.013). In multiple linear regression analysis, age (β = –0.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] = –1.0 to –0.50, p <0.0001) and female sex (β = –6.3, 95% CI = –9.1 to –3.5, p <0.0001) were negative independent predictors of change in peak VO₂ over 12 months, while CR attendance (β = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.0032–0.42, p = 0.047) and recommended exercise habit after the CR program (β = 2.1, 95% CI = 0.095–4.1, p = 0.040) were positive independent predictors of change in peak VO₂ over 12 months. Conclusion: In female patients, exercise capacity improved during the CR program but decreased to AMI onset levels after 12 months.     

Effect of Intradialytic Supine Ergometer Exercise on Hemodialysis Patients with Different Nutritional Status

Objective: It is important for hemodialysis patients to exercise while their nutritional status is being monitored. This study aimed to examine the difference in physical exercise function and the effect of exercise intervention in hemodialysis patients who were divided into two groups (high-nutrition and low-nutrition groups) based on the serum albumin levels. Method: A total of 26 outpatients (18 men and 8 women) undergoing hemodialysis (age: 66 ± 10 years) were included in this study. The patients'' body composition data (weight, body mass index, percentage of body fat, fat-free mass, and total body water) and physical functions (grip strength, knee extensor strength, open-eyed one-legged standing time, long sitting trunk anteflexion, and 6-minute walking distance [6MWD] test) were measured. The intervention was supine ergometer exercise during hemodialysis, and the patients exercised for 30 minutes during hemodialysis thrice a week. The intervention period was three months. Results: Compared to the high-nutrition group, the low-nutrition group showed a significant decrease in muscle strength. Furthermore, long sitting trunk anteflexion in the high-nutrition group and 6MWD in the low-nutrition group improved significantly after the intervention. Conclusion: The result of this study may indicate that 6MD can be improved by exercise during dialysis, regardless of nutritional status. It is said that low nutritional status has a negative impact on survival rate; thus, considering the impact on survival rate, it is hemodialysis patients with a low nutritional status that should be considered to introduce more active exercise during dialysis.     

Numerical Study of a Turbulent Flow Compressed by a Weak Shock Wave

Abstract

Modification of a two-dimensional isotropic trbulent flow by passage of a weak shock wave was numerically studied by the explicit spectral collocation method with the fourier series in the ranges of M₁ = 0.14?0.21 and M_s = 1.06?1.14. The density 1 trbulent kinetic energy increased by 10 to 19 % and density fluctuation increased by 14 to 50 % in proportion to the shock wave mach number. The amplification of turbulent kinetic energy did not change by increase of the turbulent Mach number, while that of density fluctuation decreased from1.35 to 1.15%. The argumentation of turbulent kinetic energy appeared at moderate and high wave numbers of energy spectra and resulted in a reduction of the integral scale by3.33 to 5.4%. Modifications mechanisms of turbulent kinetic energy, density fluctuation and vorticity were verified by the transport equations It was shown that the decreased amplification of the density fluctuation In the increased trbulent Mach number attributed to the unchanged production terms and the negative dilatation correlation behind the shock wave.the vorticity-dilatation term was responsible for more than 80 % of the total vorticity production at the shock front.     

The synthesis and mesomorphic properties of ferroelectric liquid crystals with a fluorinated asymmetric frame

A novel series of ferroelectric liquid crystals with a fluorinated asymmetric frame were synthesized by utilizing optically active (S)-2-, (S)-3-, (S)-4- and (S)-5-fluoroalkanols prepared from corresponding (R)-1,2-epoxyalkanes. Their mesomorphic and physical properties, such as spontaneous polarization, optic tilt angle and response time, were investigated systematically in a series of homologous compounds having the chiral centre at different positions on tails of various lengths. All the compounds exhibited the chiral smectic C phase in a wide range of temperatures and were found to possess a fast response time in spite of the small magnitude of the spontaneous polarization.     

应用三维有限元法探讨RC梁柱节点的破坏机理

为了探究节点加强后RC梁柱节点的抗剪承载力、延性提高以及节点破坏模式由剪切破坏转变为梁弯曲破坏的实质,本文在RC节点的三维有限元分析的基础上探讨RC梁柱节点加强后的破坏机理。通过详细考察加固前后节点内部不同位置混凝土的应力-应变发展规律,探讨加强前后节点混凝土的宏观损伤发展过程;同时,通过考察核心混凝土的应力-应变关系及发展过程定量探讨加强钢板、梁柱主筋及箍筋对核心混凝土的约束作用。基于上述混凝土损伤过程的宏观分析,可以得出由于梁主筋的粘结加强、加强钢板以及箍筋对混凝土约束作用,使节点核心混凝土的实际强度增大、损伤延迟,RC节点由加强前的节点剪切破坏模式转变成梁端的弯曲破坏模式,从而提高RC梁柱节点的抗剪承载力和延性。     

近红外光谱测定猪眼肌肌内脂肪中脂肪酸含量

为了快速无损测定猪眼肌肌内脂肪中脂肪酸含量,提出了近红外光谱技术检测的新方法。选用气相色谱法作为猪眼肌肌内脂肪中脂肪酸测定的标定方法,采用漫反射光纤探头采集由低密度聚乙烯塑料袋包装的猪眼肌样品的光谱,来测定眼肌内脂肪中脂肪酸的含量。利用光谱专用分析软件Unscrambler9.6, 对采集的光谱用平滑,二阶微分法进行预处理, 用偏最小二乘法(PLS)建立其定量检测模型。用于本实验的样本总数为82,将异常点除去后,将样品分为校正集和检验集。用校正集的样品来建立定标方程,再用它来预测检验集样品的值。结果表明,脂肪酸C14∶0,C15∶1,C16∶0,C16∶1,C18∶0,C18∶1,C18∶2,C18∶3,C20∶1,C20∶4,SFA,MUFA和PUFA校正模型的相关系数分别为0.57,0.76,0.71,0.77,0.62,0.81,0.86,0.91,0.85,0.91,0.67,0.81和0.95。可见, 用该方法测定肌内脂肪中脂肪酸有较高的测定精度,因此,应用近红外光谱对猪眼肌肌内脂肪中脂肪酸含量的快速无损检测具有可行性。